Writing – Page 6 – Christine Smith

Realm Makers 2018 Recap

Post published:August 6, 2018
Post category:Life Writing
Post comments:54 Comments

I HAVE RETURNED!!! Not only have I returned, but I’ve come back with a gazillion Realm Makers stories to share with you guys. AND I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT IT! Realm Makers, guys… Wow. How do I even describe it? Before I went, I had heard some people say it’s unlike any writers conference out there. The people aren’t there to step on each other and rise to the top. And they’re not there to be ultra professional and stuffy either. No, Realm Makers is one big family of Jesus lovers with a mutual interest in all things geeky.…

7 (Extremely Flawed) Literary Characters We Love and Why

Post published:July 9, 2018
Post category:Reading Writing
Post comments:31 Comments

Book characters are life. If you don’t have few dozen (or hundreds) of fictional characters you spend your life pinning pics of on Pinterest, making memes for, staying up late coming up with wild theories and headcanons about, and like a lot better than some of your own acquaintances well…you’re lying. People like people. And when those people are fiction, that’s just BETTER. (For some reason???) But here’s the thing. Sometimes our fictional people tastes can get…strange. I’ve always said some of my most favorite fictional characters are people I wouldn’t be able to stand in real life. But here…

5 Ways to Conquer the Editing Dragon

Post published:July 2, 2018
Post category:Writing
Post comments:32 Comments

As you all probably know (since I keep blabbering about it), I’ve been deep into edits for my WIP, Burning Thorns, ever since January, and only just finished a few weeks ago. Editing was a hard and long road. But at the same time? It was kind of amazing. (Shocking, right???) And along the way, I learned a lot. Like a lot a lot! Eventually I’d love to give you guys a look at my editing process and some tips and tricks I used (if you’re interested in that sort of thing, that is?), but today I’m just going to…

The Get to Know Me Tag {Writer’s Edition}

Post published:June 18, 2018
Post category:Writing
Post comments:30 Comments

About half an age ago (a.k.a 3 months) the dear Savannah from Inspiring Writes created the Writer’s Edition of a Get to Know Me Tag. And I loved it so much, I was toootally gonna put on my pirate hat and steal the tag if she didn’t tag me for it. Buuuut she DID tag me, so I shall be doing it all legally and stuff. Yay me! (Except can I still wear a pirate hat and pretend to be nefarious???) ANYWHO. This is one of those super fun get-to-know-me tags so you dear nosy dragons can learn more about…

How to Achieve Great Story Pacing with “Character Fireside Chats”

Post published:June 11, 2018
Post category:Writing
Post comments:40 Comments

For the past few years I’ve discovered my love for modern stories—whether they be TV shows, movies, or books—has decreased. For a bit, I couldn’t figure out why. So many had unique premises, exciting plots, interesting scenery. On the surface, everything seemed as though these should be enjoyable stories. Yet…I couldn’t fall in love with them. And it bugged me. So me, being the writer I am, began to dissect these stories and figure out WHY. Why did these tales with such great potential fall so very short? Then, finally, finally, it hit me. The pacing was off. That was…

Lifely Recap – Finishing Edits, Lots of Painting, Even More Fangirling, and I’m Back!

Post published:June 4, 2018
Post category:Life
Post comments:54 Comments

WELL HELLO THERE. Guess who’s back from her hiatus???? Did you miss me? Did you even notice I was gone? Do you even remember who I am? Do *I* remember who I am? *has mini existential crisis* Ahem. Anyways! Apparently May is no longer with us (wow, that sounds like May got murdered or something. Then again…that would explain why it just vanished suddenly, hmmmm), and since I did say I would be returning in June, well, HERE I AM. And my goodness, have I missed you guys! I feel like so much has happened since I was last here…

Beautiful People – Favorites Edition {And the FINAL Beautiful People!}

Post published:April 23, 2018
Post category:Writing
Post comments:30 Comments

My absolutely favorite blog linkup is ENDING. And I’m a blubbering ball of sadness. *cue the waterworks* I’m sure most of you know about Beautiful People—a linkup hosted by Sky @ Further Up and Further In and Cait @ Paperfury, in which each month they ask questions for us to answer about our story characters. Talking about my characters (or, ya know, ANY fictional characters) is my favoritest thing on this earth, so naturally I was alllll about this linkup! And GUYS, I’ve been doing it since my first year of blogging. Since before Cait was one of the hosts and…

Five Ways To Expand Your Story

Post published:April 2, 2018
Post category:Writing
Post comments:42 Comments

Some of you may know that my current WIP, Burning Thorns, was originally a 20k novella that I later turned into a full novel. That was my first time ever doing anything like that. I’ve always written novels, but I’ve never turned a novella/short story into a novel. It was a new experience. But it went well. Surprisingly well. That little 20k novella is now a 95k novel and I’m currently editing the 3rd draft. Crazy what little story ideas can become, amIright? I probably should have done a post like this during the expansion days (that was like 2…

The Spring Cleaning Writerly Challenge Tag

Post published:March 26, 2018
Post category:Writing
Post comments:41 Comments

Can you guys believe we’ve made it to spring? (Probably not judging by the frigid temperatures…) Hoooow is it nearly April? Pretty sure Christmas was yesterday! But since spring is pounding on the door like an uninvited guest (seriously, I want it to still be January!), I suppose I better let it in and offer it cookies and tea or something. (Please don’t waste your precious lives trying to make sense of my analogies.) In honor of spring arriving and the urge to spring clean, my frabjous and brilliant friend Deborah O'Carroll has created a spring cleaning tag. But we’re…

7th Blogoversary Celebration Day 2: A Thank You Letter and Part Two of the Q&A Vlog

Post published:March 14, 2018
Post category:Life
Post comments:45 Comments

HELLO AGAIN!!! It is day two of Musings of an Elf’s two-day 7th Blogoversary Celebration (say that 5 times fast) and I couldn’t be more thrilled! (If you missed it, don’t forget to check out yesterday’s post where I showed you guys my first ever blog post (and hid in a hole from embarrassment afterwards) and shared part 1 of the Q&A vlog.) Today, March 14th, is Musings of an Elf’s official birthday. On this day 7 years ago, I hit publish on that first post and entered the great, wide, crazy, AMAZING world of blogging. And I’ve never looked…